Homecoming
by x-Guinevere-x
Summary: A Stefan-Elena & Damon-Bonnie fanfic.  Set 2 years after "Midnight" Which I know hasn't come out yet. Stefan has left town so Elena can sort out her feelings for Damon but leaving has caused more harm than good. Will she survive? Will Stefan come back? R
1. Prologue

Homecoming

**Prologue:**

_Elena walked through the bedroom that she shared with Stefan and found him staring out through the window with his back to her._

"_Stefan?" Her voice echoed throughout the dark and silent room._

_He didn't turn around and she knew deep inside her heart that something was wrong. Something she feared nothing would be able to fix._

_She walked toward him and touched him lightly on the shoulder. He flinched and she dropped her hand._

"_Stefan?," She swallowed and the dreaded feeling in her gut worsened the moment he turned around to face her._

_His eyes - - once green and vibrant now were dark around the rims and there was something haunted inside them._

_The look upon his face told her things may never be fine again. It made her stomach turn in pieces._

"_What's wrong?" She asked him as her heart beat faster than she ever knew it could._

_He put his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor._

"_I can't do this anymore" _

_She stared at him as she tried to understand his words._

"_Do what?"_

_He took a deep breath as the words came fumbling out, breaking his heart into tiny bits at every syllable that he muttered._

"_This. You and Me"_

_Elena's voice suddenly gave way. Out of all the things she thought he would say this was not even on the list. She had never imagined this scenario playing out in her mind ever._

_Not now. _

_Never._

"_I don't understand" Tears started to clam up inside her pupils and she willed them to stay there rather than come crumbling out._

_Not yet._

"_What is there to understand Elena? We're done. I'm leaving"_

_What?_

"_Why?" And just like that the tears stumbled down her cheeks straining her eyes._

"_I just can't.. "_

_Stefan tried to keep himself calm and told himself that all he had to do was get through this moment, because it will be easier later on._

_But he was wrong._

_This was never going to be easy. No matter if its now or next year. _

_'Can't what?" Elena voice grew harder and louder as her emotions overcome the best of her._

"_Be here and watch you choose My Brother"_

_There. He said it._

_Elena almost choked on her own words._

"_What?" She blinked to make sure she had heard him correctly._

"_You think that I'm going to leave you for Damon?" She clamped her mouth shut and her eyes hardened in disbelief as to what she was hearing._

"_At some point.."_

_She just shook her hear. "No Stefan. That would never happen"_

_But there was no deterring him. "I can't take that risk."_

"_So it's a do it before she does it kind of thing?," Her tone turned sarcastic as he rolled his eyes._

"_No Elena. It's not like that."_

_This time she did scream at him._

"_Then tell me Stefan. What is it like? I want you to explain to me why you think leaving will do more good than harm"_

_Stefan punched the wall in aggravation. _

_Why did she have to be so stubborn? But he knew that was one of the reasons he loved her so much._

"_Maybe if I am not here then you can explore whatever feelings or attraction you feel for Damon"_

_Sure she felt something toward Damon but it certainly didn't compare to how she feels about Stefan. Not in the least._

"_It will never happen"_

"_Never say never, Elena."_

_He started to walk towards the door in an attempt to leave. But she wasn't having that._

"_No Stefan."_

_She turned him around to face her as he tried to walk past her. "I am not going to fall for that"_

"_For what?" He raised an eyebrow at her._

"_Trying to do that psycho babble on me. It won't work"_

_He shook his head, "I'm not trying to do anything, Elena"_

_She knew at that point there was going to be nothing she could do or say to convince him he was wrong._

_She closed her eyes to stop any more tears from falling. Her heart breaking like never before. _

_He then cupped her face in the palm of his hands and looked her in the eyes that he so loved_

"_Promise me one thing."_

_She nods against her sobs and then he whispered something in her ear._

"_Always remember."_

"_For always I'll love you until my death"_

_And then he brought her lips to meet his own. They kissed passionately as if it was the last kiss they would ever have and to them it was._

_The moment their mouth met and opened up, Elena felt a surge of electricity pulse through her whole being. Not just her mouth but her hands and mind and body._

_The connection they had would always be there no matter if he was here or some place else._

"_I love you," She cried out as he let her go and separated himself from her then walked out the door._

_The moment Stefan left the room she crumbled down on the floor and cried and cried until there was no more tears left to shed._

_The last time she had cried this much was when her parents died and she never thought she would feel so much pain ever again._

_But how she was wrong._

_Stefan tried to control his emotions as he left Elena, but boy was it the hardest thing he had ever to do._

_But this is for the best. He had kept telling himself, but it didn't seem to make things any easier._

_She needed to get Damon out of her system and for that to happen he knew he couldn't be anywhere near them. _

_He just couldn't stand to see them together. It would be too much to bare._

_He knew he just needed to get as far away from this place as possible._

_I'll love you more than you'll ever know, Elena. _

_He told the wind as he got in his car and drove away from the boarding house and away from Elena. Forever._


	2. Chapter 1

AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, It's all appreciated. I hope you like this one.

- Jen

**Chapter 1.**

_Two Years Later:_:

**Paris, France.**

Stefan Salvatore strolled down Rivoli Street in the middle of the day with his black sunglasses on as he glanced around the square.

Today was the last day in the **la Fête de la Musique** which was some sort of celebration to commiserate the start of summer, so they had decided to make a tradition out of it including music and rides in the park.

He watched as kids laughed and ate candy, couples smiled and kissed one another as they held hands lovingly.

Stefan tried not to think of the past and Elena but it seemed lately he couldn't get his mind off her.

He never expected to be away this long and if he was honest with himself he missed it back in Fells Church and his friends. It was a surprise that Damon hadn't come looking for him at some point, although at times he felt there had been someone following him but the moment he turned around nobody was there.

Walking through the crowds of people that surrounded the street as they listened to different musicians, Stefan could have sworn he recognized someone from his past.

He bobbed his head in between people trying to find out if his imagination was just playing tricks on him or not, then suddenly...

There she was – sitting on a bench talking to a few young girls whom seemed like tourists.

He stepped forward to approach her.

"Bonnie?" Stefan called out in disbelief to actually make sure that he wasn't going crazy.

Bonnie turned around unable to believe what she was seeing.

'Stefan?" She said, shocked to see someone from home right here in France.

She smiled and jumped up and hugged him. Her long red hair no longer curly bounced around her shoulders.

"I can't believe out of all the places in the world to see you It would be here in Paris," She exclaimed.

She looked around and excused herself from the group for was huddled In.

"Come on and lets take a walk"

She grabbed her bag and propped her sunglasses on to take away from the blazing sun. Taking his hand she led him through the crowd to find somewhere more quiet to talk because you could barely hear a thing in the middle of all this crazy festival.

They walked until Bonnie stopped out at a Cafe which was located away from the crowds in a more quieter part of the city.

"Sit" She indicated toward the chair at the nearest table.

Stefan nodded and sat down in the empty chair. He waited until she was seated and ordered a coffee from the waiter to start into a discussion.

"Merci!" She thanked him as he sat the cup of Coffee on the table in front of her.

He nodded and walked away from them toward other customers.

"So, Stefan, what has brought you to Paris? Tell me everything" Bonnie then suddenly realized something was amiss.

"Wait. Where Is Elena?" It wasn't unlike Stefan to be away from Stefan. Unless things had changed since she had left Fells Church, because at the time things between the two of them were so tight that she couldn't Imagine the one without the other.

Stefan smiled grimly. "Well I'll answer the second question before the first since the two are linked to one another"

Bonnie nodded and waited until he spoke again.

"Elena and I have... I left Fells Church a few years ago"

Bonnie couldn't have been more shocked if she tried. This was the last thing she had expected him to say, as it seemed impossible to even conjure the single thought as to how this could possibly be true.

"What! Why? How? I don't understand"

Stefan took a deep breath and started to explain as best as he possibly could without dredging too much of the past up for himself.

"I decided to take myself out of the equation. I could see that Elena was starting to form an attraction and have feelings for Damon, so I told her that instead of her having to choose I would leave so she could sort out whatever feelings that she was starting to form. I didn't want to stick around and see them together because that thought alone would break my heart.

I tried being the bigger man and removing myself from the whole situation because there was no way I was willing to go through this – again. After Katherine I just didn't want to see the past re-create with Elena"

Bonnie grabbed Stefan's hand.

"Oh Stefan. I am so sorry"

Bonnie knew there wasn't much she could say to make this better for him, but she decided she was going to be there for him and show him that he does have people that still care.

Bonnie then stood up and walked around to his part of the table, as she kneeled down and hugged him.

She squeezed his shoulders and then stood up.

"Thanks Bonnie"

She smiled slightly and gave a shrug as if it was no big deal.

After sitting back down, Stefan, went to explain where he had been the last two years and the things he had been doing since which excited her.

"Isn't it wonderful" She chipped happily

Bonnie then told Stefan about her own travels which started off in New York City and then she travelled throughout Europe until she setted in Paris a few months back.

"You have changed!" Stefan exclaimed with admiration in his eyes.

A blush came over her face. "Thanks. I don't know the last few years I guess one could say I have grown up. I realise how childish I would have seemed back in Fells Church but I feel that since then I have matured, must be getting out of that town and exploring the world"

Stefan felt so relieved to have found Bonnie In the middle of this city. It made him feel closer to home and friends which If he admitted to himself he missed more than he would let on.

"I'll show you around" Bonnie suddenly jumped up and pulled Stefan away from the table and the cafe with her, as music blasted through the city centre up ahead.

For the next few days,Bonnie, took Stefan on a tour of some of her favourite places she had found whilst in Paris as they laughed and discussed the places they both had been and their experiences along with them.

"Your kidding me," Stefan laughed almost choked on his drink whilst sitting at a nearby Bar.

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm serious, you wouldn't believe how much I laughed. I could hardly breathe at times"

Bonnie had told him a story of a time when she was travelling through Berlin, Germany and had come across the funniest person who coincidently was dressed up as her worst nightmare: A Clown. She used to have nightmares ever since she saw that movie IT and scared her half to death.

But upon seeing this person he was ridiculously dressed that she had cracked up laughing and she wasn't sure she was able to stop.

"Man that would have been a sight to see" Stefan replied, laughing alongside her.

Bonnie almost got to the point where she would be stuck in a laughing fit, but she forced herself to stop.

"So what do you want to do now?" She asked him, but then Stefan's cellphone rung from his jacket pocket.

"Excuse me for a moment, Bonnie." He excused himself to answer the call.

She watched as he stood up from his stool at the bar and walked outside and held one hand against his opposite ear.

She wondered who would be calling him not that It was any of her business, but she just happened to be nosy at times.

Bonnie realised that she was so happy Stefan had found her when he did because even though she loved every minute she spent in this country and travelling in general there was also a part of her that was starting to miss home and her friends.

So seeing Stefan now made her feel much better but then on the other hand it also made her wish she could see everyone else as well.

_Don't think like that. You know why you left. _ She chastised herself and pushed that thought out of her mind.

When Stefan came back a few minutes later he had a grave look about his face,

'What's wrong, Stefan?"

Stefan looked thoughtful and took a moment's silence for a minute before revealing the truth to her.

"I have to go home." He announced as a matter of fact.

Stefan looked toward Bonnie and saw a touch of sadness and disappointment.

"To Fells Church?" She asked, stunned unsure of what to say.

Bonnie didn't want to be alone again and didn't want to lose this new found friendship with Stefan. A friendship she realised she has come to cherish over the past week.

He nodded. His lips curved at the ends of his lips as If he was about to say something but then changed his mind.

"When?"

Stefan checked his watch. "Soon"

Slowly she nodded in understanding and slumped her shoulders, sighing.

"I'm sorry Bonnie I wouldn't go if It wasn't some kind of emergency"

She then raised her eyes. "And there was?"

Was something wrong? Someone hurt? Or worse?

Part of her didn't want to know but then the other part demanded she know everything because these people were her friends even if she hadn't been home in so long.

"That was Matt. It's Elena. She was involved in some kind of accident and it's serious."

And then suddenly It's as if Bonnie had made some kind of decision. She paid their bill to the bartender and turned toward Stefan.

"Lets go then"

He looked at her curiously.

"We?"

She nodded confidently.

"Bonnie. You don't..."

But she then cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"It's Elena of course I have to. And more than that I want to.

I think it's time I go home"

Stefan saw the determination on her face and agreed. After a few phone calls he then booked their flights for that very night, which meant they had to get everything ready and leave for the airport.

Bonnie and Stefan then went back to their separate hotels where they gathered all their things and had decided to meet back In an hour where they would then set off to fly back to The United States and back to the place they had left for their own personal reasons.

Bonnie didn't admit this to Stefan but upon hearing about the whole Damon/Elena situation she felt something stir in the pit of her stomach. A feeling she couldn't quite describe and one she hadn't felt in such a long time that she didn't want to be remembered of it.

She knew exactly what the feeling was and what prompted it but she sure was not going to be telling Stefan any of that.

It was now or never.

Once Bonnie was all packed she left her room and met Stefan downstairs since they had felt it would be easier to meet back at one particular destination.

From there Stefan hailed a taxi where they piled their things in and took off.

Next stop: Fells Church, Virginia


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

For the past two years Elena, more specifically the day that Stefan left there had been a hole inside me that had felt empty and that void can't be filled.

She started to explore a relationship with Damon because she felt she owed it to herself and him to see where it could go.

If she was honest with herself it was too much hype and wasn't real. All he gave her was bitter disappointment and just made her yearn for Stefan even more.

In fact he turned out not like she expected at all...

"Elena" Damon's voice called to her from the other room and she winced for a moment before she called out "coming".

It took all her strength not to go and tell him she couldn't do this any more. She would have had done so a long time ago, but she had nobody else and she didn't want to be alone.

She walked into the Salvatore living room to find him sitting down on the couch with a glass of scotch in his hands.

"You called?"She asked sombrely, feeling so exhausted.

She felt like such a maid these days always cleaning up after him and only doing something when he asked. She felt like... a prisoner and it made wish she could turn back time to 2 years ago. She would have done so much different and she wouldn't feel like this.

She would feel... happy instead.

"I have some news: Your friend Matt, he was involved in some kind of accident"

I staggered backward.

Matt? Accident?

"Oh my god. Is he okay?" I asked frantic.

He put his glass down. "I have no idea"

"I must go" She said feeling the need to be there for her friend to make sure he was going to be okay.

"No" He said.

Please. I wanted to beg, but I knew that would get nowhere.

"But..." I attempted.

He shook his head. "If there is news then we will hear.. but.. you are needed here"

For what? Maid duties? Filling up the scotch bottle? She rolled her eyes and backed away.

"Yes"

He waved his hand to let her know she could leave.

"I need..."

"Yes? What do you _need_? He asked sarcastically.

I bit down on my bottom lip.

"Tomorrow.. there are things I need to get in town.. for your needs" I lied hoping he would buy it.

"Fine" He replied and then dismissed me.

I turned my back and walked out of the room and to my bedroom feeling as trapped as one could be.

For the past year She hadn't felt like myself. If there was any trace left she couldn't see it.

Being with Damon was the one thing she would live to regret.

He was possessive and controlling..

And those were the positive things...

She wished Stefan would come back and save her from this hell that she was living in.

She didn't deserve Stefan.

..She couldn't imagine how he was able to stand being with her in the first place.

Just like Damon said to her one fateful night.

She was only here to be used and to be useful to him.. He never loved her. That was just some lie he was telling her to get her to fall victim to his charms..

And she did fall for it..

He mocked her that she lost the one guy who did love her... and would for the rest of eternity..

Now.. she would never see him again...

The following day Stefan and Bonnie arrived back in Fells Church. Bonnie went to visit her Dad while Stefan decided to try Elena's house.

When her Aunt answered the door and told him that she was now living at his house he was taken aback.

Things must be serious with Damon then. He thought if she was now living there.

He must suck it up and get it over with.

As he walked through town he wasn't watching where he was going then he suddenly bumped into someone..  
"I'm sorry" He started to apologise. His words were cut short when he realised who he had just bumped into.

_Elena_.

"Elena.." He breathed as he took in her appearance.

She looked weak, no make-up and it hadn't looked like she had changed clothes in awhile.

This was not the girl he left all those years ago.

This girl he could barely recognise.

"Stefan?" Her voice was scratchy and soft as if she didn't talk very often.

Hope crossed over her face as she jumped up into his arms burying her face into his chest.

He held her against his body as he took in her scent. It was still there.. kind of.

Although there was so much different about her.

"Look at you" He said shocked.

Elena looked around suspiciously. "We can't... we shouldn't talk here" she whispered as she tried to hide her face.

What was wrong with her? Stefan started to think.

"Okay" He said and took her to a hotel nearby to get cleaned up and then they could talk.

She couldn't bathe herself since her hands were all sore and bloody. After looking at her wrists he found it was because she had been scratching her skin too much.

"My god" He exclaimed.

With a cloth he sat on a stool as he watched Elena over and over in the bath not worrying about any modesty since It wasn't the first time they had been in intimate situations.

"Thank you" He responded and tried to form a smile, but it hurt to do so since she couldn't remember the last time she had smiled.

He went washed her hair which was full of dirt and grime. By the time he was finished the bath was full of muddy water and then he turned on the shower to get off the rest of the dirt stuck on her skin.

It was only a few moments later that he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her body. He then picked her up and dried her until she was nice and dry.

"Can you put on these clothes?" He asked indicating to the clothes he had laid out on the bed in the next room.

Slowly she nodded and started to dress herself in the bedroom as Stefan cleaned up the bathroom from all that dirt that it compiled during the washing.

When Stefan entered the bedroom he saw Elena sitting down on the bed staring out through the window.

"Feeling better?" He asked her. She almost jumped at his presence then relaxed when she realised it was only Stefan.

Her Stefan.

She sighed.

"Yes" She replied as she watched him walk further until he was sitting next to her on the bed.

"What has happened to you?" He couldn't help but ask.

How could she tell him?

"Nothing" She said.

He didn't believe her and she knew he wouldn't.

Stefan knew her better than to know when she was lying.

"That's a lie"

"Tell me what really happened?" He grabbed her hand and folded it within his own.

"It's.. Damon" She started to say. "He makes me feel like a prisoner in that house"

His eyes glowed anger as his blood started to boil up.

"What do you mean?" He asked carefully.

Elena hesitated before answering.. "I don't.. want to cause problems between you and your brother" She felt sick saying his name.

"Don't worry about us.. it wouldn't be the first time" He answered as she looked up into his green eyes which made her feel safe. And Safe was something she hadn't felt in such a long time.

Longer than she cared to think about.

"It started.. about a year ago. Not too long after I decided to try explore whatever feelings I had for him..That was a huge mistake" She said slowly making sure he understood what she was telling him.

"Go on" He urged her to continue.

She took a deep breath. "Things were fine and then.. I don't know when things changed, but I think he felt I needed something more.. and he couldn't provide it.

He couldn't be you. And from then on.. all I feel I am is some kind of servant.. prisoner that would only do things for him whether it was the things a maid would do.. or giving him blood.. against my will.

I felt.. I was being used and that was all I was needed for.. because when he was sick of me and although I think he was a long time ago and only kept me around for old sake.. he would kill me"

Stefan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe Damon would do this to someone he had once claimed to care about.

Love even.

He would kill him.

How could he had left Elena to Damon back then? But then who could have predicted this would had happened?

"I'm so sorry" He apologised over and over knowing it wouldn't do any good.

He wasn't leaving now.. he wouldn't leave her ever again.

"It wasn't... your fault" She gulped in some air.

He then held her as she cried and cried. When she stopped they just laid silently on the bed in each other's arms as if it was the most safest place in the world.

"I'll never leave you again" Stefan told her as he stroked her hair.

After a long day of talking Stefan finally convinced her to come with him to the house and break it off with Damon.

With him by her side she knew she had the courage to do exactly that. Something she should have done a long time ago, but never had the courage.

"Damon!" Stefan growled as he flung the front door open as he and Elena strolled inside to find Damon sitting down in the same spot Elena left him earlier in the day.

"Surprise Surprise!" He said. "The knight in shining armour has returned to rescue his captive princess" He mocked.

Elena held onto Stefan's hand when she decided to take the lead in this conversation.

"Damon.. you and I are done. _I _am done" She held herself and made herself clear.

Suddenly he stood up though he had no reaction to this news.

"It was over a long time ago princess..I gave up on you the day that Stefan left. Because you see.. don't you know why I wanted you? It's because Stefan had you... and I wanted what Stefan had. So if he no longer had you.. then I no longer wanted you. Got the picture?" He said without any emotion.

She knew then he simply couldn't care.

"I'm taking her.. and you will not come near her again.. you hear me?" Stefan made it clear to him.

"Fine. Like I could care anyway.. she served her purpose"

He then turned his back from them and sipped at his glass.

"Stefan... I can't find Elena..."

Bonnie Bennett came storming in through the door forcing the group to turn around and face her.

"Bonnie!" Elena said cheerfully as they hugged each other.

Damon put down his glass and stared at the girl who entered his house.

The girl with the red hair and the brown eyes that could make you do anything.

His little Bird..

Had all grown up..

"Wow" he said astonished.

Bonnie whipped her hair around her face and turned around to face Damon.

"What are you doing Damon?" She asked seeing the bizarre look on his face.

It's as if he had never seen her before.

"Bonnie" he repeated.

"Yes"

"You're..." he started and would be breathless if he needed to breathe. "breathtaking"

And with that Damon passed out.


End file.
